Storage apparatus

ABSTRACT

The present invention provides a storage apparatus for storing a semiconductor element or a reticle and having a filter therein. The storage apparatus includes a first cover and a second cover, which are assembled together to form an inner space therebetween for accommodating a reticle or a semiconductor element. The second cover of the storage apparatus is composed of a body and a plate. Further, the second cover includes at least one aperture for communicating the inner space and an outer of the storage apparatus. The plate has a corresponding portion positionally corresponding to the aperture of the body. The filter is sandwiched between the body and the plate and covered the aperture so that when the air passes through the aperture of the body, the filter can filter and rid the air of impurities.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

The present invention relates to storage apparatuses for storing semiconductor elements, or reticles and, more particularly, to a storage apparatus for storing a semiconductor element or a reticle and having a filter.

2. Description of Related Art

In the rapidly developing semiconductor technology, optical lithography plays an important role and wherever pattern definition is conducted, optical lithography is requisite. As to the application of optical lithography relating to semiconductors, a designed circuit pattern is used to produce a light-transparent reticle. Basing on the principle of exposure, after a light passes through the reticle and projects on a silicon wafer, the circuit pattern formed on the reticle can be exposed onto the silicon wafer. Since any dust (such as particles, powders or an organic matter) can adversely affect the quality of such projected pattern, the reticle used to produce the pattern on the silicon wafer that is required with absolute cleanness. Thus, clean rooms are typically employed in general wafer processes for preventing particles in the air from defiling reticles and wafers. However, absolute dustless environment is inaccessible even in known clean rooms.

Hence, storage apparatuses that facilitate preventing defilement are implemented in current semiconductor processes for the purpose of storage and transportation of reticles so as to ensure the cleanliness of the reticles. When such storage apparatuses accommodate the reticles in semiconductor processes, the reticles can be isolated from the atmosphere when being transferred and conveyed between stations, so as to be secured from defilement caused by impurities that induce deterioration of the reticles. Similarly, when storage apparatuses accommodate the semiconductor elements in semiconductor processes, the semiconductor elements can be isolated from the atmosphere when being transferred and conveyed between stations, so as to be secured from defilement caused by impurities that induce deterioration of semiconductor elements. Further, in advanced semiconductor factories, the cleanliness of storage apparatuses is required to meet Standard Mechanical Interface (SMIF), namely superior to Class 1. One solution for achieving the required cleanliness is to fill gas into the storage apparatuses.

However, for enhancing the yield of products and reducing manufacturing cost, in addition to meeting the required cleanliness, defilement that is brought to reticles by external gases has to be precluded. Besides the atmosphere, there are still two major resources of the gases that may cause defilement to reticles. One of them is outgasing generated by storage apparatuses themselves that are made of macromolecular materials. The other is vapourised gas generated by trace chemical solutions remained on the surfaces of the storage apparatuses. These unexpected gases can cause foggy surfaces of reticles or semiconductor elements that render the reticles or semiconductor elements becoming rejects resulting in wasted manufacturing costs. While filling gas into such storage apparatuses is also a solution for preventing foggy surfaces thereof, it is an important task to ensure the cleanliness of the filled gas.

Therefore, the present invention provides a storage apparatus for storing a semiconductor element or a reticle and having a filter to improve the current technology.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

To remedy the problem of the prior arts, the present invention provides a storage apparatus for storing a semiconductor element or a reticle and having a filter therein. The storage apparatus includes a first cover and a second cover, which are assembled together to form an inner space therebetween for accommodating a reticle or a semiconductor element. The second cover of the storage apparatus is composed of a body and a plate. At least one aperture is provided on the body for communicating the inner space and an outer of the storage apparatus and a corresponding portion is provided on the plate positionally corresponding to the aperture of the body. The filter is sandwiched between the body and the plate and covers the aperture of the body for filtering air that passing through so as to rid the air of impurities.

Thereupon, it is one objective of the present invention to provide a storage apparatus for storing a semiconductor element or a reticle and having a filter for filtering dust in air so as to protect the reticle or the semiconductor element accommodated therein from being defiled.

It is another objective of the present invention to provide a storage apparatus for storing a semiconductor element or a reticle and having a filter for filtering the dust in air so as to maintain cleanliness therein.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention as well as a preferred mode of use, further objectives and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following detailed description of an illustrative embodiment when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view of showing a storage apparatus for storing a semiconductor element or a reticle of the present invention;

FIGS. 2A and 2B are views of showing a filter in the storage apparatuses for storing a semiconductor element or a reticle according to the present invention;

FIGS. 3A to 3E are views of showing structures of a corresponding portion on a plate of a second cover according to the present invention;

FIGS. 4A and 4B are views of showing a fixing element and the filter in the storage apparatus according to the present invention;

FIGS. 5A to 5I are views of showing the fixing element and alternative configurations whereby the fastener fixes the filter;

FIGS. 6A to 6C are views of showing the fixing element and the filter of the present invention; and

FIGS. 7A to 7D are views of showing an airtight device of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

While the present invention discloses a storage apparatus for storing a semiconductor element or a reticle and having a filter therein, it is to be stated first of all that the detailed manufacturing or processing procedures of the disclosed storage apparatuses relay on known technology and need not be discussed at length herein. Meantime, while the accompanying drawings are provided for the purpose of illustration, it is to be understood that the components and structures therein need not to be made in scale.

Please refer to FIG. 1 is a view of a storage apparatus for storing a semiconductor element or a reticle according to the present invention. The storage apparatus includes a first cover 6 and a second cover 7 which are assembled to form an inner space therebetween for accommodating a semiconductor element or a reticle. In this embodiment, the semiconductor element such as FOUP (Front Opening Unified Pod), FOSB (Front Opening Shipping Pod) or any kind of wafer pod. The second cover 7 includes at least one aperture A for communicating the inner space and an outer of the storage apparatus.

Now referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B, the second cover 7 of the disclosed storage apparatus includes a body 71 and a plate 72. The at least one aperture A is provided on the body 71 and a corresponding portion 73 is provided on the plate 72 positionally corresponding to the aperture A of the body 71. The corresponding portion 73 has at least one gap 74 for ventilation. Further, a filter 4 is sandwiched between the body 71 and the plate 72 and covered the aperture A of the body 71 so that when air passes through the aperture A of the body 71, the filter 4 can filter impurities therefrom so as to maintain the cleanliness of the air in inner space of the storage apparatus. FIG. 2A is a view of showing the components while FIG. 2B is a sectional view of the assembled components of the second cover 7.

The plate 72 of the second cover 7 has a substantially flat first surface 721 and the corresponding portion 73 positionally corresponding to the aperture A of the body 71 may be raised from the first surface 721, depressed from the first surface 721 or coplanar with the first surface 721, as shown in FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C, respectively. Alternatively, the corresponding portion 73 may be formed as a tongue 731, as shown in FIG. 3D so that when the tongue 731 is raised, the gap 74 can be provided therearound for ventilation. In addition, at least one more gap 74 may be provided on the tongue 731, as shown in FIG. 3E.

Besides, a fixing element 5 may be provided between the body 71 and the plate 72 for fixing the filter 4. The fixing element 5 may be sandwiched between the body 71 and the filter 4 or between the plate 72 and the filter 4, as shown in FIGS. 4A and 4B, respectively. Also, a venthole 51 is provided on the fixing element 5 for ventilation.

The fixing element 5 may be embodied with diverse structures according to the requirement for the user. Please refer to FIGS. 5A through 5I. The fixing element 5 may be formed as a vent valve so that airflow can be controlled by adjusting the vent valve. Such vent valve is shown in FIG. 5A while the manner whereby it is combined with the body can be seen in the sectional view of FIG. 5B. The fixing element 5 may be alternatively an annular shape that allows the air to pass therethrough, as shown in FIGS. 5C and 5D. The fixing element 5 has protrude top 53, and the corresponding portion 73 of the plate 72 may be formed as the tongue 731, as shown in FIG. 5G. Thereupon, the protrude top 53 of the fixing element 5 can prop up the tongue 731 so as to form the gap 74 at the corresponding portion 73 to achieve ventilation. The fixing element 5 may be formed to envelop the entire filter 4 to thereby fix it, as FIG. 5H. The fixing element 5 in such form can be also has the protrude top 53, as shown in FIG. 5I so that the protrude top 53 of the fixing element 5 can prop up the corresponding portion 73 on the plate 72 in the form of the tongue 731 so as to provide the gap 74 to enable ventilation.

The fixing element 5 may be substantially covers the filter 4, as shown in FIG. 6A, or may be just frame the filter 4, as shown in FIG. 6B, or may envelop the entire filter 4, as shown in FIG. 6C. All these modifications can be implemented according to a user's needs.

For facilitating filling air into the disclosed storage apparatus, an airtight device 8 may be further provided thereon. According to FIGS. 7A and 7B, the airtight device 8 encircles a periphery of the fixing element 5. Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 7C and 7D, the airtight device 8 can encircle the aperture A of the body 71 of the second cover 7. Other arrangements of the airtight device 8 can be implemented according to a user's needs. Therein, the airtight device 8 can be a soft plastic component so as to accomplish the optimum airtight effect.

Although the particular embodiments of the invention has been described in detail for purposes of illustration, it will be understood by one of ordinary skill in the art that numerous variations will be possible to the disclosed embodiments without going outside the scope of the invention as disclosed in the claims. 

1. A storage apparatus, comprising: a first cover; a second cover for being assembled with the first cover to form an inner space therebetween for accommodating the semiconductor element or the reticle, and comprising: a body, having at least one aperture; and a plate, is deposited on the body and facing the inner space, having a corresponding portion positionally corresponding to the aperture of the body; and a filter, sandwiched between the body and the plate and covering the aperture of the body.
 2. The storage apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a fixing element for fixing the filter between the body and the plate.
 3. The storage apparatus of claim 2, wherein the fixing element has at least one venthole for ventilation.
 4. The storage apparatus of claim 2, wherein the fixing element covers the filter.
 5. The storage apparatus of claim 2, wherein the fixing element frames the filter.
 6. The storage apparatus of claim 2, wherein the fixing element enveloped the entire filter.
 7. The storage apparatus of claim 2, wherein the fixing element further comprising an airtight device.
 8. The storage apparatus of claim 7, wherein the airtight device encircles the fixing element.
 9. The storage apparatus of claim 7, wherein the airtight device encircles the aperture.
 10. The storage apparatus of claim 7, wherein the airtight device is a soft plastic component.
 11. The storage apparatus of claim 2, wherein the fixing element has a protrude top.
 12. The storage apparatus of claim 1, wherein the corresponding portion of the plate is a tongue so as to be propped up by the protrude top of the fixing element.
 13. The storage apparatus of claim 2, wherein the fixing element is a vent valve.
 14. The storage apparatus of claim 2, wherein the fixing element has an annular structure.
 15. The storage apparatus of claim 1, wherein the plate has a flat first surface and the corresponding portion of the plate is raised from, depressed from or coplanar with the first surface.
 16. The storage apparatus of claim 1, wherein corresponding portion of the plate has at least one gap. 